Giving parents the tools they need to get their babies and toddlers started on healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime, a bestselling author presents quick, easy, and delicious recipes with hints, tips, and solid advice on how to awaken a child's interest in a variety of foods.

An ideal book for health-conscious moms and dads, "Cooking for Baby" makes wholesome meals easy to prepare, store, and serve. It features 80 fully illustrated recipes for making baby and toddler food that's healthy and delicious.

Making your own baby food is a one way to provide the nutrients to help your baby grow and develop. When you make homemade foods, you know exactly what your baby is eating. Processed food can lose some of the essential nutrients and may contain additives, fat, salt and sugars. Let your baby enjoy the freshest ingredients, just as you do.

There are many ways to prepare foods for babies. One way is to boil fruits and vegetables using a minimum amount of liquid. Another, steaming, is one of the best ways to retain taste and vitamins in foods. Use zip lock steam bags that do not require liquids and can cook up fast in the microwave leaving no cleaning up pots and pans.

Foods that can trigger an allergic reaction:

milkeggsnutswheatstrawberries

Seek advice from your doctor if there is a family history of food allergies or you suspect your child is having a reaction.

Once the foods are soft they should be pureed. Foods can be pushed through a sieve or mash food with a fork. Use your food processor to make large amounts. As baby's teeth erupt, you can make the foods with more 'lumps' so they can start chewing food.

Making larger batches of food can save you time and energy. Store extra pureed food in ice cube trays and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, place the cubes in a freezer bag. Be sure to label and date the bags.

Preparing you baby's first foods, using quality ingredients, can lead to healthy eating habits for a lifetime.